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The Town of Sudbury has released its proposed Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget. The budget totals out at $138,943,141, which is a 5.42 percent increase over FY26. The 5.42 percent increase is $7,146,334 more than the current fiscal year. That is inclusive of the operating and capital budgets.
The FY27 proposed operating budget totals $132,048,062 — an increase of $5,732,155, or 4.54% over the FY26 operating budget of $126,315,910. Key drivers of the budget increase included insurance and benefits, which now cost the Town roughly $20M just between Town employees and Sudbury Public Schools employees. Those costs increased nearly 10% over FY26.
Town Manager Andy Sheehan noted “This budget reflects a careful balance between maintaining high-quality services and managing ongoing cost drivers.” He went on to add “It reflects disciplined financial planning, realistic revenue assumptions, and a continued focus on long-term sustainability.”
The Town also release an updated 15-year capital plan with the budget. The capital projects listed for FY27 now reflect what the Town intends to put before Annual Town Meeting in May. There are no significant surprises, as the capital improvement program was regularly discussed over the second half of 2025.
One of the notable organizational changes was the creation of a new Health and Community Services division, headed by former Health Director Vivian Zeng. According to the budget “…the Town has reorganized Health, Recreation, Social Services, and Veterans Services under a newly established Health and Community Services Department. The Health Director has been promoted to Director of Health and Community Services and will provide oversight across these divisions, creating additional opportunities for coordination, operational continuity, and shared leadership.”
The Park and Recreation department will be evaluated over the course of this year to determine if a Director position is needed, or if an Assistant Director role will suffice in the new division structure according to the budget.
The changes are reflected in significant reductions in the FY27 budget for the Park and Recreation department:
The Town is forecasting a deficit in FY28, and talk about an override next year has been consistent across Town committees and boards. For now, the proposed FY27 maintains level services without an override, though it did require significant effort and creativity to meet the needs of the Town’s three cost centers.
